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Raymond Chandler Interview

“Even on Central Avenue, not the quietest dressed street in the world, he looked about as inconspicuous as a tarantula on a slice of angel food.”Private detective Philip MarloweFarewell, My Lovely written by Raymond Chandler

There’s no question that as a writer Raymond Chandler had a voice, but until this weekend I had never heard Raymond Chandler’s actual voice. I stumbled upon an interview with Chandler by writer Ian Fleming on You Tube. How about that? The creator of Phillip Marlowe being interviewed by the creator of James Bond.

Flemming: I find it extremely difficult to write about villains. Villains I find extremely difficult to put my finger on…The really good solid villain is a very difficult person to build up, I think.
Chandler: I don’t think I ever in my own mind think anybody’s a villain.

The interview was recorded in 1958—a year before Chandler died. There is a PDF of the interview which includes some interesting comments by Chandler on how killings are arranged in New York, and how he was the first to write realistically about Los Angeles.

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